The Tope Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest

Hosted by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Join the fun and post your ten favorite movies.

LEGEND

I remember seeing previews for the movie, and a music video of “Is Your Love Strong Enough,” and experiencing chills. Surely, the movie isn’t as dreamy and gorgeous as the preview and video? To my utter delight, this fantasy epic fulfilled my expectations! No, it’s not a perfect film. And the director’s cut didn’t make it better, as some scenes were missing and the haunting Tangerine Dream soundtrack removed. However, this has remained one of my most favorite movies for almost thirty years. And yes, I cry every time when they find the dead male unicorn.

THE TERMINATOR

This movie not only blew me away back in 1984, it sparked a fascination and admiration for James Cameron’s directorial style. Like all of Cameron’s films, at its heart, The Terminator is a love story. Separated by time and brought together for barely one day, Kyle and Sarah’s love and struggle to survive stirs the soul. I enjoyed the following two sequels (and pretend the fourth never happened) but the first movie remains my favorite to this day.

THE CROW

I recall that fateful day star Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee) was accidentally killed on the set. It seemed doubtful it would ever come together, but the crew finished the movie without Brandon, and in the spring of 1994, released an incredibly sorrowful tale. Based on a graphic novel of the same name, which was also inspired by true life tragic events, The Crow gains its power from Brandon and the performance of a lifetime. Perhaps knowing this was his final film - that his death, on top of the death of the original creator’s fiancé, was ingrained into the movie - made it all the more powerful. The Crow is a moving tale of love and revenge.

HEAVY METAL

Yes, the 1981 animated film. It’s my guilty pleasure movie! I saw it eleven times in the theatre, owned a bootleg tape, and now own it on DVD and Laserdisc. I loved the soundtrack. (I have three copies of that!) While the animation was an odd blend of good to sub-par (due in part to eight different studios working on segments of the film) the visuals and music really stuck with me. Ultimately, my love of this movie has to do with the final segment - Taarna. The story of Taarna, a warrior willing to sacrifice herself to vanquish evil, really struck a chord in my heart. I also own the making of the movie book, the t-shirt, two official movie posters, and my D&D character was called Taarna.

LORD OF THE RINGS

Since it is ultimately one long movie, I’m listing the trilogy as one pick. These films were so majestic, so well-done, so true to the spirit of the books, it’s incredible. (And even better, they skipped all those boring pages of description!) No need to describe them, as everyone has seen LOTR, but it’s the ultimate fantasy story. Fellowship is probably my favorite of the three, and my favorite character is Pippin. I mean, who wouldn’t want to hang out with Pippin and cause trouble all day?

THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROVE

This is my favorite Disney animated film! One of the last cell animated movies ever made by the studio, this film takes full advantage of its humorous cast. Almost every line is a laugh riot! I quote it all the time - “Uh-huh! Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!,” “You threw off my groove!,” and “I win!” Love the character of Kronk! Sting’s song at the end is great, too.

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

I’ve been a Muppet fan since Kermit first sang “It’s not easy being green.” Loved the TV show, loved all the movies… This one hits a special note! Made in honor of the late Jim Henson by his son, Brian, the Muppets tell the tale better than any. We watch it every Christmas Eve, reveling in the music, laughing at the humor, and yes, crying at least twice during the course of the movie. The perfect Muppet film!

OVER THE HEDGE

I never read the comic strip, but I adored the movie. RJ’s tricks to entice the other animals to forage in the human’s domain result in some priceless adventures. Hammy the squirrel is easily my favorite - probably because I’m just about as hyperactive. (Although I’ve tried energy drinks and they do not make me so fast the world stops - darn!) Great cast, too.

MADGASCAR III

I loved the first one, thought it dipped for the second, but the third one was the best! A circus was the perfect setting for the cast of characters, and introduced several new ones. The sea lion was adorable and had such a genuine heart. The big performance just popped off the screen in 3D. I wish there really was a circus act like that! Keep making them, I’ll keep watching them.

BORN FREE

This movie came out the year I was born and as a child, I watched it every time it came on TV. I also owned the movie on record, so I listened to it repeatedly. (This movie was a big influence on my love for animals, especially cats.) This is the true story of Elsa, a lion raised by George and Joy Adamson, and then trained to return to the wild. The movie will tug at your heartstrings, and while it has a happy ending, I watch it knowing what happens to Elsa just a few months later. Needless to say, I spend half the movie crying. My husband says I’m not allowed to watch it anymore…